The Secret Ingredient to Great Coworking Spaces? Smart Access Built into the Blueprint
Long before “Return-to-Work” conversations and enticing employees into offices with easy come-and-go policies, there was this fringe concept of coworking—small, shared, often scrappy spaces where entrepreneurs, small teams, or remote employees gathered for Wi-Fi, coffee, and the occasional human interaction. Then coworking evolved. It grew up, attracted capital, professionalized its offerings—and then, just as quickly, it kind of imploded. But that wasn't the end of the story; the industry weathered the pandemic storm, adapted to the resulting commercial real estate crisis, and it evolved again.
Today, coworking isn’t fringe—it’s mainstream. And, while more common and convenient than ever, it’s also infinitely more complex. Coworking spaces aren’t just drop-in offices anymore; they’re highly engineered environments designed to accommodate fluid occupancy, user autonomy, brand experiences, and sustainability goals. For architects and builders, that evolution means something important: access control isn’t an afterthought—it’s an essential part of the member experience and what makes modern cowork, well, work.
Designing for Flexibility and Function
Coworking as an industry is a case study on adaptability. The people using these spaces change day to day, hour to hour. Teams scale up or down. A space might serve as a creative studio in the morning and a boardroom by afternoon. All that fluidity depends on a smart foundation—especially when it comes to how people move through the space.
Traditional keys and antiquated access systems simply don’t hold up in this environment. Lost fobs, aughts-era RFID cards, unmanaged access permissions, and outdated hardware aren’t just inconvenient—they’re operationally inefficient, visually intrusive, and diminish the operator’s brand experience. They create friction—not just for users, but for building managers and, ultimately, owners and shareholders. For coworking spaces to succeed, they need to be frictionless. Access needs to be dynamic, secure, and almost invisible.
Architects creating the next generation of coworking spaces have an opportunity to reimagine access as a design element. That’s where systems like Salto KS (Keys as a Service) come in. These cloud-native, mobile-first platforms allow users to access doors, lockers, and amenities with a digital key on their smartphone. Access permissions can be granted or revoked in real time, without someone needing to be on-site.
Why Smart Access Belongs in the Blueprint
Architects and builders are in a unique position to future-proof coworking spaces by planning for smart access control from the start. When considered early in the design phase, access hardware can be integrated cleanly into doors, frames, and finishes—avoiding the need for unsightly retrofits or patchwork cabling. Better yet, adding wire-free smart locks to the mix means you can secure various spaces throughout the facility without the need or expense of running power and network cabling.
Beyond aesthetics, early integration allows for better user flow, compliance with ADA and accessibility standards, and the ability to support other shared systems like meeting room booking, smart lockers, or guest check-in.
Modern access platforms also offer extensive analytics—tracking usage patterns, space utilization, and user behaviors that help operators fine-tune how their space works. That kind of data isn’t just helpful—it’s become expected.
Sustainable, Scalable, Smarter
Coworking spaces are often positioned as greener alternatives to traditional offices. Shorter commutes, shared infrastructure, and efficient space utilization appeal to the climate-conscious ethos of their typical users—Millennials and Gen Z professionals.
Smart access control aligns directly with those values. Digital keys eliminate the need for physical cards or metal keys. Battery-powered wireless locks reduce installation impact and ongoing energy use. And with Salto, sustainability goes even further: the company’s manufacturing operations are powered by 100% renewable energy, and products undergo rigorous lifecycle assessments to reduce their footprint.
For builders focused on green certifications like LEED or WELL, access control is a small spec that delivers outsized environmental value.
Serving More People, Better
Accessibility matters, especially in shared spaces. SALTO’s redesigned keypad wall readers include tactile, audible, and braille cues to serve users with visual disabilities. That’s not just inclusive design—it’s universal design. And it’s another way access control systems are evolving to support a broader range of users without increasing complexity.
For builders and architects, this means specifying products that not only meet code but exceed expectations for usability, longevity and value.
Lockers, Deliveries, Amenities—All Under One Credential
Smart access isn’t just for doors. In coworking environments, smart lockers play a critical role—offering secure places to stash laptops, tech gear, or personal items. By extending the same access platform to lockers, operators reduce complexity and users get a consistent, frictionless experience. That integration - one app, one credential, total access - is the hallmark of modern coworking design.
Coworking 3.0 Deserves Infrastructure That Works
The coworking world has matured. It’s no longer enough to offer desks and Wi-Fi and hope people come. Today’s spaces must deliver secure, seamless, scalable experiences that reflect how people want to work now - and how buildings need to function in the future.
That starts at the door.
- Smart access control isn’t just a security upgrade. It’s the silent operator behind every successful coworking environment. It manages flow, enhances safety, cuts waste, supports sustainability, and eliminates friction for users and operators alike.
For architects and builders, the message is clear: the most successful coworking spaces aren’t just beautifully designed—they’re intelligently enabled. And smart access is what makes that possible.
If you want to contribute to building the future of coworking, don’t treat access control as a final step. Build it into the blueprint. Because when it’s done right, no one sees it—but everyone experiences it.
That’s the secret.
About the Author

Nikki Seidman, SALTO
Nikki Seidman leads SALTO's Corporate Smart Office and Coworking solutions business practice. Her focus is on aligning SALTO’s innovative access control technology and hardware with the evolving needs of the North American coworking industry.
Nikki is a facilities expert, with a coworking background, she is passionate about creating more effective, efficient and profitable access control solutions for both corporate and coworking offices. Together with SALTO, she is on a mission to bring new technologies and products to market that keep people and property safe while enhancing the workplace experience. Nikki previously served as Senior Manager of Facilities Project Management at Industrious Offices.